What's the scariest horror game?

Hi PC Gamer! It's October so I was thinking I should get into the Halloween mood with some scary games. But I don't just want any scary game, I want the scariest. Not just jumps scares and all that, but really creepy. I would love to hear your suggestions! — Aaliyah K.

ask pc gamer

The scariest game is Doom, as played by me when I was eight, followed by The 7th Guest, but also assuming you're me and you're eight. But you're probably not me, and I'm guessing you're not eight. (If you are me from the past, please avoid playing laser tag around November of 2013).

Anyway, if you really want the one scariest game ever, I'm going to say Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It's the obvious choice, the setting is nothing new to horror and the graphics are outmatched by newer games like Outlast (also recommended), but it is pretty damn scary. I can't say definitively if it's the scariest thing ever for everybody, but it's also just 'one of those games' you ought to play if you're interested in the modern horror genre. (Note that I haven't played much Alien: Isolation yet, but it's up there for me, too.)

If we were just going for the 'best' horror games—with a bias toward newer games, which I assume you're looking for—I'd recommend BioShock, of course, Alien: Isolation, which Andy absolutely loved, and the first Dead Space. The Evil Within also comes out this week, but without early review code, we can't tell you how it is just yet.

For the past couple years I've also been recommending Lone Survivor. It's more weird than scary—though it can be scary—but what makes it stand out to me is the ending, which I won't spoil. It's one of the most satisfying endings I've seen in a horror game.

Of course, there are tons of horror games I haven't played and lots of opinions on the topic, so I suspect the comments section will be full of suggestions. (Please, just don't say Slender.) Meanwhile, Steam has been a little confused as of late: